Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-03
SUMMING UP THE CHINESE CUES
TION.u

Rev. 1. Il. Dwlnell, u. u, has contrib
uted to The aurora magazine a thoughtful
paper, Summing Up the Chinese Cues
ton" The high standing of DIR. Dwinell,
his unquestioned fairness, his devout at
tachment to his faith, and his long expert
ence and observation in California, all
make him witness whose testimony and
opinions command respect. He declares
that between the fiery, loud-speaking par
tisans there is large intermediate class
disinterested, intelligent and thoughtful
from whom little has been heard, who
have reached the conclusion that Chinese
This class disbelieves many of the popular
charges made against the Chinese disbe-
lieves that they are held in involuntary
servitude; that there is among them a
system of peonage, or that their societies
exercise any such arbitrary authority over
them as the Knights of Labor, or the
trades-unions do over their membership.
This class recognizes the awkwardness of
attempting to close the doors against ore
class of foreigners; yet these American
citizens believe Chinese immigration ought
to be restricted, because of the peculiar
tiles of the Chinese communities.
They do not come to us to be lost in our
communities, but live mostly in commune
ties of their own. These communities are
composed almost wholly of men-only
about three per cent. Of the whole are
women, and very few of these are in we'd
leck. Speaking of this conservative class
of Americans, DR.. Dwinell declares it to be
fact that those Chinese who come do not
come to stay. Communities of men under
such circumstances, left to their
instincts and passions diversions and
makeshifts, are not natural and healthful
elements in our civil system. They feel no
interest in the development of the country
or the making of permanent improve
ments; they wish to take all they can with
them and go; they fasten on section of
~ VI iOhh anu llldht lndl 0nl-
nese." "The Oriental clutch is on the
very soil ITSELF" and the section becomes
hot-bed in which male Chinese peculiari-
ties crowd, ferment, grow and bear fruit.
1t is a Chinadom, less the homes, wives,
children. 1t is a Chinadom in general
tone and quality, without the safeguards
and reliefs of domestic life. Nothing pen
etrates this mass to change it; civil and
commercial influences fall powerless on the
ironclad stronghold These quarters are
perpetually changing in their personnel,
while maintaining their locality and quail
ity.
The average Chinaman comes here un-
der Is years of age, revisits China once in
five years, the merchants twice as often.
and in twelve years he goes for good, and a
fresh Chinaman takes his place. So the
tap-root of Chinese life in California runs
back to China and survives only through
the supplies that come through it. These
patches grow; no American likes to live
next 10 them; he vacates his place when
they approach him, and so the American
city retires before the Asiatic fungus.
These Pagan masses are, he AYERS, imper-
vious to American law. Our legal system
beats against them and is dissolved into
spray. Ofenses among themselves are but
rarely brought into our Courts, but are
settledin their own mysterious way in their
own tribunals. These evils are made worse
by being conspicuous. The Chinese retain
not only their peculiar manners, customs
and language, but also retain their dis
tinctive cue and dress, and this fact is also
true of the surroundings of their quarters,
for they have and retain the foreign look.
He concludes that such an immigration.
unrestricted, would prove vast, for there
are in China millions waiting to come,
who are crowded, half paid and impover-
ished. They look to America as gold
mine almost in sight. The carving trade
is anxious to benefit itself, and it supple
ments and stimulates the desire of the
Chinaman to come here and better his
condition. Left to China and to COM
merce, he concludes that this coast would
soon be crowded with Cinnamon. and the
Americans would be driven from the
fairest seats of civilization.
The views of Rev. DR.. Dwinell are the
more valuable contribution to the litera-
ture of the Chinese question because. while
denying the slavery, corruption, human
degradation, vices and COMMUNICATING in
fuences of the Chinese to be greater than
among other peoples, he arrives at the
same conclusion reached by the radical
anti-Chinese sentiment. They are highly
valuable, also, because they will have
great weight in New England, where this
distinguished preacher is widely and popu-
larry known and highly esteemed for his
virtues, his moderation and his clear
headaches. If the earnest Christian
minister, who has been for twenty years
connected with the missionary effort to
clules that they are an undesirable ele-
ment IN our social and political system,
that is enough. We will not care. In the
face Of snch conclusion, to debate With
him the matters concerning the
Chinese, spon which he casts discredit. If
there is not slavery among them: il their
women are Bst traded as chattels: if their
vices are not greater than those of Amer
leans; if their presence is desirable for the
promotion of seseral industries; if the
.olies are not contracted into practical
slavery by aristocratie Chinese companies,
it is still sufficient If thSse who hold them
to lie naiiened and underestimated, for
ether reasons judge them 70 be undesirable.
j. is sufficient if they find Chinese COM